ethridg-e



Patented July 20, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN V. B. ETHRIDGE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ANDREYV J. BAILEY, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBlNED MAW-BAG FASTENER AND LABEL=HOLDER.

Application tiled November 28, 1585.

T0 aZZ 2072/0721, it may concern:

Be it known that I,MARTIN'V.B.ETI1EIDQE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Mas sachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Mail Sack Fasteners and Label-Holders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in combined mailsack fasteners and label-holders; and it consists of a recessed case provided with a label-holder and an internal locking mechanism,both being detachably secured to the case by a pin or bolt, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed...

In the annexed drawings, whi h fully ill ustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fastener and label-holder, showing it connected to the fastening-cord of a mailbag. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the ease of the fastener, showing the locking wedge or clutch for holding the cord firmly against the inclined sides of the recess in said case. 3 is a vertical. section through the case and. labcl-holder, the locking parts and cord being removed. Fig. at is a transverse vertical section on line :r, Fig. 2, showing the means for securing the label-holder and locking device to the case. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wedge-shaped clutch or look, and Fig. 6 is an end view oi the case alone.

The letter A indicates an ordinary mail bag or saclgprovided near its mouth with the usual eyelet-holes for the passage of the running cord or rope by which the bag is closed, as shown in Fig. 1. From one of these eyeletholes the parts of the cord l3 pass into and through the fastener or case 0. This case 0 is made of wood or other suitable material, and bored or recessed longitudinally and centrally from end to end, as shown in Fig. 3. That part oi. the recess through which the cord iCIPlJCAT-ION icrming of Letters Patent No. 345,675, dated July 20, 1886.

Serial No. $4,157. (No model.)

passes is the cordway a, the remainder of said recess serving to retain the movable locking wedge D, as seen in Fi 2. This wedge D is secured to one end of a rod or stem, 1), that passes through a plug or barrel, 0, and terminates in a handle, (I, a short distance outside of the case 0. The plug 0, which is bored for the passage of the stcnrb, is secured in the case 0 at one end by means of a vertical pin or bolt, that passes through thelabel-holder E, case 0, and plug 0 on one side of the stem 1), as shown in Fig. 4, or by other equivalent fastenin Around the stem 1), between the wedge D and barrel 0 is coiled a spiral spring, 0, that bears against a washer, f, that is on the stem and rests against the inner end of said barrel. The two parts of the cord B pass to gethcr along the recess a to the point of the wedge D, where they diverge, passing on opposite sides of the wedge between it and the inclined or flaring sides t t of recess a and out through openings h 7 on each side of the case, as seen in Fig. 2, or in the end of said case.

The locking-wed e D is wedge-shaped, and provided with a tapering channel. or way, 7.1, on each side for the reception of the cord B. These channels 7; k, which are widest at the point of the wedge, are preferably grooved or roughened, as shown in Fig. 5, to prevent slipping of the cord. The spiral spring 6 forces the wedge against the cord B, thus jamming the parts of the same between the flaring sides 2' i of the recess a and the channels I. k, there by locking the case on the cord.

The label F is held in place on the upper side or face of the case 0 by means of a sliding holder, G, which is preferablylbrmed of sheet metal. The sides of the holder are bent or turned under at an angle of about forty-five degrees, forming cleats Z Z, which fit and slide in correspondiugly-shaped grooves or slots on m in the upper corners of the case 0, as shown in Figs. at and 6. The face of the holder is provided with a large opening or slot through which the direction printed on the label may be read. There is a shallow recess or space between the case and holder,in which the label is placed, as seen in Fig. 3, the outer end of said space being slightly enlarged or flaring, in order to insure a ready insertion or removal of the label from the case when desired; The holdermay be detached from the case by removing its fastening and sliding it out of the grooves m at when so desired; also, the locking-wedge and plug can be removed from the case for repairs or for insertion of new parts, when worn, by removing its fastening.

The operation of the device is as follows: The cord being passed through the bag and case, as shown in Fig. 1, the bag can be closed and secured by grasping the fastener in one hand and pulling the end of the cord through the case, so as to close the mouth of bag and draw the bag and cord-fastener together, as shown in Fig. 2.. When the bag has thus been closed, or when as much of the cord has been pulled through the case as may be desired, the cord will be firmly held from slipping back by the pressure of the wedge D, which will,

as aforesaid, tightly jam it against the flaring sidesi 2 under the pressure of the spring. To open the bag, or relieve the hold of the wedge upon the cord, it is only necessary to draw back the wedge by pulling on the handle 01,

the spring a being thus compressed so that when the handle is released the wedge will be again forced in contact with the cord.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is V 1. In a mail-sack fastener, the combination of the recessed case 0, detachable plug or barrel a, pin 9, wedge D, having stem 1) and ban- 7 dle d, and the spring 6, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a mail-sack fastener and label-holder, the combination of the case 0, having grooves on m, the detachable label-holder G, having cleats H, and the pin g, substantially as de scribed.

3. The combined mail-sack fastener and label-holder herein described, consisting of the recessed case 0, having cordway a, side open- 

